


Steller Witchcraft

by SorceressJewel42



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Independence Day (Movies)
Genre: Alien Invasion, Aliens, F/M, Gen, Magic Revealed, Science and Magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:08:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SorceressJewel42/pseuds/SorceressJewel42
Summary: Ron runs away from the group during the Horcrux hunt into a nightmare. Everything is changed and there's no going back from this.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, OC/OC
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue: First Contact

_**Prologue: First Contact** _

**_MACUSA Headquarters October 9, New York City. 0810_ **

Alan Scrimgeour ran down the hall dodging various individuals in this rush to the Presidents office. Once he'd reached the door he slammed it opened startling Lady President Ming who stared at him.

"I'm sure there's a good reason for startling me so early this morning instead of just Floo-ing me or sending in an Owl," she drily commented at his sweaty form.

"Ah-" He breathed in catching his breath from his mad dash. "Yes sorry for the intrusion but I've just come from DC via Portkey. The Pentagon and NASA have just confirmed there's a celestial object approaching from the Moon heading towards us."

"Is it an asteroid?"

"No ma'am," he said. "They say it's something different but their No-Maj instruments are at a loss. They're keeping an eye on it and I wanted you know. My partner as well as my contact are monitoring the situation as we speak."

"Your enthusiasm is...appreciated. But next time just send a Floo to me. What's the official statement from the White House?"

"He's playing it cool for now," Alan said. "I think he wants to be sure before he makes an official statement."

"Ever the theatrical one isn't he?" President Ming sighed rubbing her head. "Alright. Get back there and keep an eye on the situation with your partner and contact. This might be an issue for us as well."

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

_**October 9, 1997 0800 hours Greenwich time UK Space Agency**  
_

Jane MacLeod was expecting a normal day. She'd just gotten her coffee and had just settled into her seat when her phone went off. She sigh and pushed her long blonde hair back with a huff.

"Jane MacLeod speaking," she said listlessly.

"We've got an issue." Scott Dingles voice said on the other end of the line.

She sighed once again leaning back into her chair. "And that is?"

"There's a blip heading towards us."

"I-What?" She leaned up now a bit confused. It was far too early in the morning for this nonsense. "What do you mean?"

"I mean were the moon is there's an image coming up from behind it. NASA has confirmed it on their feeds as well. Green Bank Observatory saw it first...and it's moving towards us."

"Oh my..." She snapped her mouth close as she tried to compose herself. _Okay there's a huge celestial object possibly heading towards us. No big deal asteroids do that all the time...and also killed the dinosaurs. Crap._

 _"_ Who else knows this?"

"I've already contacted everyone else such as White Hall and the Pentagon if that's what you're wondering. I was just confirming it with you."

"Good show," she said as she powered on her computer waiting for it to boot up. "Tell me everything you know about it."

"It's roughly a third the size of our moon and it's seems to be heading here at a constant rate now."

"Blimey," Jane breathed. "How fast is it coming in?"

"Well here's the thing I can't figure out..."

"That is?"

"It's...It's slowing down," Scott said sounding as shocked as she felt at the news of an asteroid in the first place.

"It's what?" Jane said in shock. "How's it slowing down?"

"I don't know myself but it's slowing down...hang on," the was a shuffling sound in the background that made Jane squirm as her computer finally booted up. She immediately opened her email and scrolled through slog until she got to one dated a few hours ago. Yes it was about the object and according to satellite images it was as he described.

"Does MI6 or MI5 know about this?"

"Like I said, all concerned parties know what's been going about," Scott said. "I've sent the information to them."

"Keep me informed if anything changes," Jane said sighing. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

**_Military Headquarters London, UK._ **

Air Chief Marshall Albert Shaw sighed as he followed the lackey that'd been sent to retrieve him. He was rather worried about the lack of contact that he'd recently noticed that his younger son had engaged in especially since the Christmas season was coming up soon and he knew that he son was off season. He knew that his boy had entered into a larger world once he'd gotten that strange letter from that school Hogwarts but he did wish his boy would let him know what was going on so he could help. Now this mess was going on making it even more precarious...

"Sir," a junior officer saluted him as he walked into a room.

"What's the situation?"

"There's a huge structure heading into our atmosphere that's broken off into pieces that are now heading towards several points on our planet." The subordinate said as he handed him a printout of what little they could see with satellites.

"Let's see what we've got," Albert looked down at the images. It was a large object which true to what he'd told him had a variety of smaller ones that appeared on the splitting off.

"So where are they heading?"

"From the trajectory it's heading straight for London proper," the subordinate said pointing to the projected path. "The other seems to be heading towards Dublin and the third is heading towards Paris."

"Lovely," Albert commented. He sincerely hoped that it was just a harmless stunt that these aliens were pulling. He half wondered on how his son's world was dealing with this news or even if they noticed it going on for that matter...

* * *

**_Nearby 12 Grimmauld Place, London, England 1210 October 9._ **

They weren't here. Ron honestly wasn't sure what compelled him to check on the porch of the house. The house was empty so he wasn't surprised to see no movement but that didn't explain the lack of patrols. You'd think that the Death Eaters would've stepped up their game.

That was something that Ron noticed as soon as he reached the streets. Something was off. It was that feeling that made him hesitate instead heading directly to Shell Cottage where he knew he'd be safe. It was then he felt a tingling feeling run up his spine that made him squirm. That's when he heard a roar above him.

Ron looked up to the sky as did everyone else around him... _What?!_ In the sky was blazing storm that was heading directly to London. Quite a few people gasped around as they watched the fireball approaching.

 _This...this isn't magic,_ he thought numbly. He shook his head and pinched himself for good measure. No the object wasn't going away. If anything it was still advancing.

"What in heaven's name is going on?!" An Asian man with a Welsh accent snapped close by. He looked over at Ron as if he could provide and explanation. Ron shrugged at first before noticing there was a slightly familiar falcon on his robes... _Robes?! Oh no_. Ron fingered his wand and began to back away slowly. The man tore his gaze away noticing the stare and his posture. He too began to figure his wand.

"Don't worry," an Indian woman with a Manchester accent assured Ron coming from behind making him jump. Bugger she'd snuck on him. He'd been to busy paying attention to him and not watching his back. "We ain't them. I personally don't support them. Besides I think this." She gestured towards the sky. "Kind of puts the whole hunt on hold I should think."

"Don't be daft those tossers will keep going regardless," the man said with a scoff with something of a fond exasperation lacing his tone. "But just for the record I don't care what Blood Status you are, none of my mates do either."

"Neither do I," the woman said with a smile squeezing his shoulder in a reassuring grip. "Names Lakshmi Kaur I'm a Chaser with the Harpies and that's me mate Falcon Chaser Taichi Rogers."

"Wait Quidditch players here?" Ron asked curiously. This wasn't anywhere near their clubs and as far as he knew this was the off season.

"Some of us from the League were going to meet at the _Leaky Cauldron_ for a few off season pints but..." her voice trailed off. "That happened."

"Yes well UFOs do tend to put a dampener on..." an Black man with a Sheffield accent approached them started to say before he saw Ron. His jaw dropped and he quickly said in panic: "I'm a Half-Blood I swear! I've got my lineage right here!" He pulled out some papers. "I'm related to the Sacred Twenty!"

"Kris I don't think he's a Snatcher," Taichi said. "If he was he wouldn't have panicked when we showed up."

"Now, now," a woman with decided deep tan and brunette hair soothed who also had a Manchester accent as she approached the four of them. "We don't need that tosh now..."

"I'm not one of them," Ron assured them holding up his hands keeping his eyes on all them. Taichi looked dangerous while Lakshmi's smile had gained a sharp edge. Only the tanned one looked relaxed if only because she was tapping her wand in a rather threatening way while Kris looked like he was on verge of panicking but he did have his wand at the ready. "Honestly I swear I'm not one at all. The name's Stan Stunpike. I just wondered into this mess I swear."

There was silence among the group only disturbed by crowd around them either gasping or screaming in fear. Finally Kris breathed out shaking his head.

"I'm Kris Shaw," the man said with a sigh. "I'm the Seeker of the Falcons."

"Now see," Lakshmi said as she relaxed although Taichi still looked suspicious. "We're friends here."

"Good on you," the woman said bowing towards him. "I'm Fatima Shafiq. I'm the Seeker of the Harpies."

"What the bloody hell?!" A random cry made all of them look up to see that the fireball had transformed into a disc. A floating disc that came to a rest over Buckingham Palace if he wasn't mistaken.

"Okay seriously is someone on that UFO being a bit dramatic?" Kris said a bit sardonically recovering his wits a bit. "I mean really, parking over the palace like that?"

"A tad melodramatic...I should think," Taichi agreed. Ron had to agree with him too. It was a tad absurd for this...wait what did he call it?

"A UF-what?"

"UFO...Unidentified Flying Object...It's...It's a Muggle term," Kris said hesitantly stealing a glance at Ron. "But really what's it doing here?"

"You think the _Prophet_ will report this?" Fatima asked looking at the Object with wonder.

"Are you barmy? Of course not," Taichi scoffed. "It's not their concern according to them."

"Not their... _Um WHAT!?_ It's over all of bloody London and resting on top of Buckingham Palace!" Lakshmi barked incredulous. "I'd think this would be a concern to them Muggle or not! I mean the Blitz was a thing wasn't it?!"

"Yes even if we didn't understand the all of the politics of why but then again we were kind of busy with Grindelwald swanning about," Fatima said.

"Let's try one of the Muggle pubs," Kris suggested. "They'd got the Beeb so they'd know more then us."

"Beeb?"

"British Broadcasting Corp or Beeb, it's a Muggle news agency on the Telly...you didn't take Muggle Studies did you?" Kris said looking amused at Ron's bafflement.

"No," Ron shook his head utterly confused. What in the name of Merlin was a Telly? Wait didn't Dad or Harry or Hermione mention that?

"Well you're in luck because three of us did and Kris is something of an expert," Fatima said shaking her head. "So shut it and follow our lead. Lakshmi get the rest of the gang together yeah? I get the impression they'd want to know what's going on."

"Yes ma'am Captain ma'am," Lakshmi smartly saluted with a grin. She glanced up at the saucer and soon ran the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. Ron could say that he blamed her. This was way of his scope as well.

"Let's try that pub," Kris pointed to one on the left of the street. "Lakshmi and the rest of the gang can meet us there." He quickly took off with Taichi, Fatima and Ron in tow. Ron knew the reason he was following was due to curiosity. Something was going on and he wasn't sure if he liked it.


	2. Ground Zero

**Chapter One**

**Ground Zero**

**_Garrison Arms London UK 1315._ **

Walking into a Muggle pub was a bit odd that...but what was mind-boggling was the telly. It was like pictures back at home only not only did they move but changed. It just blew Ron's mind at how it worked...Dad he knew would be going ballistic with trying to figure out how it operated. But for Ron the inner workings were just a side show. What interested him was what was being reported. A vast majority of capitals were being dwarfed by the city sized saucers...That unnerved him to a extreme degree because it personally reminded him a chess game. It was like they were strategically moving the pieces to the most valuable places...But that was rubbish right?

"Hey kid," Taichi snapped his fingers in front of Ron. Ron scowled slightly. Taichi had taken to calling him kid ever since they'd set up shop here in the _Garrison Arms._ It was close enough to the _Leaky Cauldron_ so that Lakshmi could find them which she had with a quite an entourage that stared in wide eyed wonder at some of the accommodations. Ron didn't blame them considering he stared at several things too. The ones not in awe were Fatima, Kris, Taichi, Lakshmi and an Irish woman who introduced herself as Saoirse Lin a medical witch that had just been invited over since she'd gotten off her shift at Saint Mungo's to join up with her husband Bolin.

"Your food is here," he pushed a plate of bangers and some mash in front of him. "Eat up."

"Cheers," Ron said grabbing the food and eating as he watch the reporter on the Beeb talk to various experts to varying degrees of accuracy try to explain what the saucers were.

"They don't know anymore then we do," Bolin grumbled as the Chinese man leaned back into his chair. He was Chaser from the Appleby Arrows who'd tagged along with his friend Lakshmi. "They is beyond frustrating."

"Agreed," Beverly Marshall another Chaser only from the Harpies said. She had just come to say hi to her sister, Sally-May who worked in shop in Diagon Alley and meet up with her mates.

"Well they knew more then us," An Irish witch named Agatha Lewis who played Chaser for the Falcons commented.

"Aye," the last member of the group that had come in said. He was a Scottish man named Alistair Laird who had been getting ready to head home to his wife, Trudy, and children when the whole mess had started. He was just as ginger as Ron was with slightly more freckles. He could almost be mistaken for a burly Weasley with the way he looked which appropriate given his status as a Beater. "That they do and it's better then nothing I'd say."

"Kris," Lakshmi said leaning over to him. "You reckon your Dad knows about this?"

"Yeah but he's not going to tell me," Kris sighed. "If it's classified from Whitehall then he can't. Besides I'm...Not involved with that thing as you know."

Ron studiously pretended that he didn't hear that Kris had connections to Muggle government. This evidentially was the right thing to do since Taichi's face began to lose it's scowl at him and quite a few others seemed to relax around him as well. Blimey they most have really cared about him to make this much of a fuss. Not that Ron minded since that assured him that they were the good sort.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the telly blared catching the groups attention. "The Prime Minster of the United Kingdom shall now address the nation."

On the telly a mousy man with greying hair and rather large spectacles that would put Harry's to shame stood up in podium as the cameras flashed in the background like he'd remembered Colin Creevey doing to Harry during their Second Year. "Citizens of United Kingdom..."

Ron tuned out the niceties and waited for him to say something of merit which as evident by the others glazed look was going to take a while. Ron huffed with annoyance as he finished his bangers and washed it down with a cool glass of cider that Kris had ordered for him.

"You are of age," Kris had shrugged when he'd offhandedly to mention that he was technically underage according to Muggles to purchase alcohol when he'd ordered a meal noticing Ron looked peckish. "Besides what they don't know won't hurt them. I reckon you're smart enough not to drink yourself into a stupor."

Ron was grateful for that since the cider helped calm his nerves allowing him to think.

"Wotcher," Bolin said leaning over noticing Ron's face. "What'cha thinking boyo?"

"Um...why is it the saucers are over strategically important cities?" Ron commented noticing the others stiffened. Kris looked particularly tense as if Ron had confirmed of something he'd thought of beforehand. "I mean it's a bit...odd that. And no signal?"

"Well they said the cattlelites are down now so..." Bolin trailed off as he noticed Kris looked like he was vainly trying not to laugh and busting a rib while doing so. Ron had seen that look before, namely when either he or his Dad mentioned something about the Muggle world around Hermione or Harry.

"It's _satellites_ mate," Kris said giggling. "Not _cattlelites."_ He broke into guffawing while Bolin looked mildly annoyed. The rest of the group had two different reactions. Fatima, Taichi, Lakshmi and Agatha looked amused at the mistake while the rest just squirmed with embarrassment or rolled their eyes.

"Well...you know what I mean," Bolin huffed. "They said they're down so it's no surprise 'cause _cat..._ oh fine _satellites_ transmit signals yeah? At least I think that's what they do."

"Bang on, now if you could only get the name right..."

"Sod off Boss," Bolin playfully shoved off Kris whose tense frame relaxed a bit. Clearly that was his way of getting Kris to unwind. "I didn't take Muggle Studies. Ancient Runes...now there's my thing."

"That and Arithmancy," Agatha snorted. "Can translate Ancient Runes but doesn't know what satellites are."

"Well they weren't important."

"Until now," Fatima noted grimly cutting through the banter. She looked over at Ron with a steely look. "What do you reckon?"

"Somethings off," Ron said shaking his head. "And I'm not sure if I..."

Suddenly the after report of the frankly long speech was cut off but screech of...well something that made them all jump up and cover their ears since the sheer volume made them cringe. Kris, Ron lead the charge as they ran outside to see the saucer open with a loud boom.

" ** _REALLY?!"_ **Beverly bellowed. " ** _THEY DECIDE TO DO THIS NOW_** _ **!?**_ " Ron couldn't help but agree but sinking feeling grew worse. Fatima looked aside at him as did Kris.

" **What's going on!?"** Taichi shouted over the noise coming from the saucer. " **What are they doing?!"**

" **They're**..." Kris's answer was soon lost when a bright bluish green light shooting out from the saucer with a huge thunderous roar and a slight shake of the earth striking Buckingham Palace with a boom reminiscent of thunder and from what they could see... ** _WHAT!?_**

Ron's jaw dropped as he saw a monumental fireball come from the light and rumbled that resembled a Hungarian Horntail dragon in mid flight that he'd heard in the Triwizard Tournament. Then a split second later he heard the howls of fear, horror and desperation. Before Ron could even process what he'd seen with the light he soon registered that there was a blast wave was heading straight towards them with a frightening speed. Ron turned tail and began running as quickly as he could and if the pounding of the pavement was correct everyone else was doing the same. All were running as fast as they could from the maelstrom of fire and debris that it carried in it's wake.

Ron chanced a look back and saw a building explode from the shock-wave and instantly turn into fiery debris that rained on them all as they continued to flee. One bloke clearly a wizard turned his wand towards the wall and shoot out what looked like a freezing charm to stop it...the result was morbidly laughable and horrifying to say the least. His spell instantly vaporized and the fire consumed him in an instant leaving him no time to even scream as the wave consumed him like a hungry dragon.

 _ **"WE NEED TO GET TO THE UNDERGROUND!"**_ Kris screamed as he ran beside Ron with Taichi beside him. Behind he heard Alistair yelling and someone else bellowing to others encouragement and screams.

_Under What?...Wait the Underground! That's it!_

Ron instantly looked to see if could find a sign from the multitude of signs light up by the impeding cataclysm. He didn't see any but...His gaze turned down and saw a child crying on the ground clearly left behind by their parent. Ron didn't hesitate and grabbed the sobbing girl even as he felt the fire coming closer to him since the weight slowed him down only slightly. Finally Kris dashed down a series of stairs which Ron instantly followed along with the others.

" ** _BLOCK IT UP!"_ **Fatima shouted pulling out her wand and transfiguring a block wall closing up the entrance with a rock wall face. Ron continued to run down with the girl while the others far more skilled in Transfiguration picked up the slack and soon the entrance was sealed off just in time for them to feel the shock wave slam into the barrier making the people scream with terror as the firestorm raged overhead. Ron sat down on the stairs leading down with the girl who clung to him like a lifeline as the adrenaline wore off. Above him the roof shook as the shock wave traveled above them.

"Kid," Taichi said leaning over to him his face slack with shock and horror even as he shook. "You were spot on."

Ron nodded even as Taichi walked towards the others even while he tried to comprehend on what had just happened...London was attacked... _attacked_ in a way that he'd never expected or for that matter had seen coming at all. Truly it was a true shock to his system It was _gone. All of it._ Diagon Alley, _Leaky Cauldron... **Pe** **rcy, Dad, Fred and George!**_ It was this thought that broke through his shock and began to cry no...not cry, sob almost uncontrollably as the full implications of the attack sank in. They didn't know about this which meant that they were out in the maelstrom fleeing the fire ball as he did. Were they okay? They couldn't be...no. They weren't dead! They couldn't be dead!

"Hey mate it's okay," Beverly said as she leaned over her eyes brimming with unshed tears...Oh no... _No._ If he was already wrecked with the profusions of what ifs with his family then Beverly had it worse then him because she unlike himself knew for a certainty that her sister was right in the path of the storm... _And couldn't reach her in time._

 _"_ Looks...Looks we've got a collection going," she tearfully said looking a young boy that she'd clearly grabbed during the confusion above. The rest had followed Kris down the stairs to the station proper leaving the kids, Ron, Lakshmi, Beverly, Saoirse and Fatima alone with several other strangers that were huddled near each other.

"DANNY!" The girl cried as she leapt into the boy's arms who started crying with relief and joy at the lost sibling having been found. "I'm sorry-I didn't mean to- Mummy..."

"It's okay," the boy, Danny, said clearly just relieved at seeing her well and more importantly _alive._ "It's okay..."

"Well how about that," Beverly sobbed as she sank down where he was resting watching the two as they embraced each other now oblivious of their presence. "They found each other that's..." She quickly collapsed into tears which Ron joined her in and without even thinking turned and hugged her. It was a testament to both of their shocked states that neither protested the sudden hugging.

"Hey," Saoirse said as she hugged the both of them. "It's going to be okay...We're here and we can do something."

"Can we?" Lakshmi asked her voice stricken with grief. "What can we bloody do against **_THAT!? DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT BLOKE?! WHAT DO WE DO?!"_**

"Not panic for one," Saoirse said calmly. Ron could see the tremble in her hands but the Healer kept her calm. She was probably running on emergency mode at this point. "I'm going to see if I can help. Muggle or no, this is bigger then we've every had. We've got to do something or at least I do. Now," she got off dusting herself off. "I've got patients to see down there. Kris is probably calming the others down now."

"Can I help?" A Black Irish man asked as he walked down towards them looking at Saoirse. "I'm a Potioneer, worked at _Smith's Apothecary_ in Diagon Alley before..." His voice stopped before he shook his head firmly. Ron didn't blame him he was still shaken although not as badly as before. The cry had helped deal with the shock somewhat. "In either case, I was taking some ingredients back home so I could get some work done before the I went on Holiday leave. Need any help? The name is Paddir McCoy by the way."

"Got any Burn-Healing Pastes, Pain Release, Anti-Paralysis or Calming Draught?" Saoirse looked at the assorted people standing or sitting in the stairway. "And Blood Replenishing Potions? That's just a start since I'm unsure as to what is happening with the patients."

"Burn and Pain, yes I've usually got a bit on me since getting burned is kind of a business hazard and Pain potions are always welcome. As for the others it's a hard no, but I can make some," Paddir said holding up his suitcase. It must have had an undetectable Extension Charm to hold everything he needed. "Just give me an open area and I'll pull out the cauldron and get started."

"That we can do," Saoirse nodded. "Let's get to the station and see what we are going to need yeah?"

"Right," Paddir nodded. Together the two of them started go down the stairs where Ron got the impression rest of them went. Ron watched them go dispassionately still numb from the attack. Beside him Beverly still wept a little curling into herself. Meanwhile...Fatima stood by holding Lakshmi who was slowly pounding the wall with a thunderous look growling about she felt useless. Ron steadily ignored it concentrating on the roaring of the wave above them. The rest of the group seemed to have spread out from the stairs to the bottom where there were commuters now trapped within.

"You got family?" Bolin asked making him flinch with surprise. The man had been dead silent since they'd gotten in, gone was his teasing tilt of his voice. "I know Bev does..."

"Y-Yeah," Ron squeaked his voice breaking as he thought about Percy, Fred and George who more likely then not were caught up in what was going on in the surface. _Not dead dontthinkaboutit!_ "They were shop keepers...and a Ministry worker."

"Who?" Beverly asked looking up and pushing her long curly chestnut hair from her eyes. "I might know if...well who are they?"

Should he say? Well given there wasn't much they _could_ do anymore so he might as well. It wasn't like they were going to turn him over to You-Know-Who after all they'd made their position on that clear especially with Beverly saving the clearly Muggle child.

"Weasley," he breathed out taking a chance that he wasn't making a mistake on this one. But then what did he have to lose at this point? The country was under attack from aliens, priorities and all.

"Hang on, Weasley? Like _Weasley's Wizard Wheezes_?" Beverly snorted tearfully. "Mate it's a good thing that..." her voice trailed off as clearly she was going to mention her sister. She shook her head and continued on. "Anyway you're in luck...they've gone...You-Know-Who's followers closed in on them..."

"You-Know-Who," Lakshmi snorted harshly. "Too bad the Taboo is in place or I'd happily curse the blither using his real name."

"Taboo?"

"It's his name," Lakshmi explained. "He cursed it so those who say it without fear break whatever enchantments or protections are around them and it summons either Snatchers or Death Eaters or both."

"Oh definitely not saying that name," Ron commented looking down into the station where he had suspicion that most of the those trapped down there were Muggle and therefore to any supporters of You-Know-Who playthings and/or cannon fodder.

"Absolutely not," Fatima agreed. "I'd personally hex any bugger that does that."

"And she's got a mean hex," Lakshmi snorted sounding like how she'd appeared to be.

"But what are we going to do?" Beverly asked. "We can't just hide here forever."

"There's already talk people wanting to Disappariting off..." Agatha commented as she came up from below.

"Bollocks that," Lakshmi growled glaring down at Agatha who held up her hands in a clear surrender sign. "I'm sticking around. I'm not running off like some kind of coward with my tail between my legs. I want to help."

"And what pray tell will you do?" Fatima asked raising her eyebrow.

"Assist with the rescue efforts...or something! I am not just running off because it's inconvenient or too hard!"

"You'll find that I agree with you Lion, I'm just asking you to think on what precisely you'll do. You zeal is good but if you end up getting the middle of rescue efforts you'll do more harm then good," Fatima calmly pointed out.

"Typical Snake," Beverly gave out a short laugh sounding a little happier. "Always plotting."

"Of course," Fatima said with a haughty edge that sounded rather like Malfoy when he was being particularly snobby git, She was clearly doing it for Lakshmi, Agatha, and Beverly. Taking control as a good captain should do. "Someone's got to keep you Lions from killing yourselves."

"Huh, I thought that was us Eagles?" Beverly smiled slyly.

"Yeah that's what I thought too," Agatha chimed one.

"Naw, you lot too busy reading your books and being know it alls," Bolin snarked. "Us Badgers are the only ones with sense."

"Sod off." They all said derisively to him making Bolin laugh uproariously.

"Bloody duffer," Lakshmi snorted sounding much more relaxed. "But yeah getting back to the issue, I'm helping out."

"Are we just going by House mascot?" Ron asked looking at all of them. "Because we just say Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins."

"Philistines," Beverly teased. "You whipper snappers nowadays have no sense of imagination."

"Or you lot are just weird," Alistair said as he joined the group. "But that could be just me."

"You smarmy git you have fun with this stuff and you know it," Lakshmi said. "What is it?"

"Saoirse says that there's someone coming down the tunnels. I reckon we'd check it out...you know just in case of Snatchers or worse."

"Those bloody cowards?" Fatima lips curled derisively. "They'd take one look at this cataclysm and run. No it's most likely holiday shoppers that got lucky and probably mostly Muggles to boot. But still, Lakshmi, Beverly you two need something to do. Help out there. Agatha with me."

"Cheers," Alistair smiled softly at them. Lakshmi helped Beverly up and soon were joined by Bolin who walked them down the stairs leaving Ron alone with Fatima and Agatha.

"Alright Weasel boy," she said looking at him and hard. "Got anything to contribute to the group? What are your OWLs in?"

"Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts," Ron said.

"So we'll go with slightly useful, really useful, slightly useful, dreadful, useless, okay I suppose and slightly useful," Fatima said listing off practicality of his subjects in the manner in which he gave them. "Right, go help that Paddir bloke and see what he needs because I get the impression that we'll all be needing potions."

"What about you two?" Ron asked as he got off and dusted himself off.

"I'm going to find Kris and see if he needs help organizing. Saoirse has got the medical side down but he's going to need some administrative assistance."

"And I'm for support obviously," Agatha said as she walked off with Fatima.

Ron nodded and walked down to the station that was packed to brim with Muggles and few Wizards and Witches who were all helping out each other. Well most were while others stood to the side and at the least didn't get in the way of others. It seemed that Healers were in short supply with them doling out potions various people while performing some medical magic to those that they could do. Saoirse was leading them expertly while Paddir looked determined in his area which was a ticket booth and front side that was converted into a potions place.

"Oi," Ron called getting the man's attention. "Need some help?"

"You got your OWL in Potions?"

"Yeah, need some help?"

"Yes," Paddir sighed relived. "You get to do the prep while I brew. Got it?"

"Crystal," Ron said as he grabbed a pounder and began to pound some of the ingredients into a fine powder. This as near as Ron could tell was going to be a long day and night too.


	3. Expecto Patronum

**Chapter Two**

_**Expecto Patronum** _

**_Underground Station 91  
_ **

Never did Ron expect to spent most of the day making potions ingredients. But soon Paddir switched with him several hours in so he could help out with the brewing with a small cauldron that Paddir had as an emergency pot in case he needed something. Paddir was actually a good Potioneer, quick and efficient and managed to do something that both Slughorn and Snape hadn't managed to do. Make it fun and not bore or in the case of Snape a trial.

"See the thing is that, Potions is like art or poetry," Paddir said after Ron had finished another batch of a Pain Release potion while Ron took a break from making potions to doing the prep work. "You got to just do it instead of thinking about how perfect it is. It's about the feel of it ya know? Like riding a broomstick, you just learn it. The best Potioneers are the ones that learn shortcuts to make potions faster but still just as good as the ones that are made by the book."

"So I reckon Snape didn't know how to teach yeah? 'Cause I'd reckon if you were the teacher I wouldn't mind Potions and I'd actually like it as much as you do," Ron commented as he wiped his hands after finishing bottling up a Burn-Healing Paste. As could be imagined that and the Pain Release were in the most demand with who was in the station. Lakshmi, Beverly and Bolin hadn't returned from their excursion into the tunnels so they weren't sure how the other stations were faring.

"Funny that, Snape was my idol growing up," Paddir said embarrassed rubbing the back of his neck. "His Potioneering skills inspired me. Don't worry I didn't do the whole winning personality bit. Cause my Head of House or not he was a bit of a git even before killing Dumbledore."

"A bit?!"

"Well he didn't allow for that word against Muggle-borns to be used. That was an automatic detention and docking of points when I was in Slytherin. My Housemate West got in big trouble for that word," Paddir said.

"What really?!" Ron stared boggle eyed. "Malfoy said it all the time to my girl- I mean mate Hermione!"

"Ah but did he say it in front of the Professors in their hearing?"

Ron shut his mouth and thought about the various times he'd said it...well it was within hearing of Snape? _Not really,_ Ron realized. It was always under his breath or out of hearing of any and all Professors. Then again he had a soft spot for Malfoy so maybe aside from Malfoy he did indeed enforce the rule. And come to think of it Snape had never use that word to Hermione or Dean or Lavender and he had plenty of opportunities to do so but never once did Ron recall he had called any of them that offensive term. That, was an interesting revelation actually.

"Don't reckon so," Ron answered.

"Well now, there you have it," Paddir said with a shrug. "He played it safe."

"That's bollocks."

"I know," Paddir agreed. "But what you can do is work to point where that loophole doesn't exist. Keep going forward no matter what. That's my Da said before he passed."

"Your Da sounds like a smart man," Ron said as he handed the ingredients to Paddir who quickly started mixing them.

"Yes he was," Paddir answered smiling at him.

"Oi, you lot got any more potions to spare?" Alistair asked as he approached them.

"Sure," Paddir handed him the latest brew. "How's the excursion?"

"Dunno," Alistair shook his head looking at the tunnels worriedly. "They haven't come back and it's not like Bev to linger like that."

Suddenly a _Patronus_ came among them. It was huge tiger that opened it's mouth and said: " _We've found some more wizards and witches down the way. Some of the tunnels have collapsed so we're heading back with who we've found."_

 _"_ Wow," Paddir shook his head with wonder. "Didn't know you lot could do that."

"Bo, Fatima, Kris and Saoirse can," Alistair said with a smile. "Taichi and I can manage a smoke."

"I can a full corporeal one," Ron said raising his hand. Well he could once before in DA but now...now he half wondered if he could given his emotional state. Even if working with Paddir had settled his feelings somewhat the fact remained that he still was shaken by the experience.

"Can you?" Alistair asked. "Let's see it then."

"Alright," Ron wiped his hands on a work rag and pulled out his wand. At first he thought of Harry and Hermione but then he felt the guilt of abandoning them because of that bloody Horcrux which ruined his concentration. So he shifted focus and thought of the time he'd successfully pranked Fred and George when he was younger, he'd been eight at the time and he'd successfully done an egg-bomb prank which caught them completely off guard. The retaliation was brutal but worth it. Ron concentrated on the memory and yelled out: " _Expecto Patronum_!"

From his wand came a Jack Russell terrier which yipped playfully and ran around the area. Many of the Muggles that weren't injured or just plain shell shocked looked at the _Patronus_ with awe as it ran about for a bit before disappearing with a silvery flash.

"Well colored me impressed," Paddir said shaking his head in awe. "DADA Professor teach you that one?"

"No, a friend...One I hope I can get back to," Ron said. "He wasn't here."

"Your friend must a brilliant at DADA," Paddir said.

"He is," he smiled at the thought of his friend and some memories of DA filtered into his mind. "I hope to find him."

"OI!" Lakshmi called as she walked out of the tunnel with several stretchers levitating behind her, Bev and Bolin along some other people stumbling out looking shell shock and tired from the trek. All were dirty and shaken and looked as Ron felt which was exhausted to the bone.

"We've got some new ones!" Bev cried out. Saoirse quickly ran over with three other people that quickly looked over those on the stretcher. Saoirse quickly grabbed the stretchers with her magic and pulled them away. Oh boy that meant she'd need more potions soon...

"The rumbling stopped," Bolin said as he walked up to them. "I and some others are thinking of checking out the surface and see...well just what's left."

"I'll go too," Ron said surprising himself since he was dreading the horrors that he'd see.

"You alright here?" Alistair asked Paddir while Ron steeled himself for the horrors.

"I've got things covered here," Paddir nodded. He then to Ron and said: "Now go on and see if you can find your friend."

"Cheers," Ron said with small smile not having the heart to tell him that Harry wasn't even in London at the time. Still he'd find him and Hermione. He had to.

"Lakshmi said we can use our brooms to scout," Bolin said holding up a previously unnoticed bag he had on his back. "I was purchasing something for the team and their stand-ins so I have more then enough to give out. I've got enough for several Quidditch teams in here since Lakshmi placed hers in there too and so did Fatima."

"Why all there?" Ron asked curiously.

"Well why not?" Bolin shrugged. "I was there for well..." he trailed off looking in the direction Kris was in. He then leaned over to Ron. "Fatima was going to propose to him and make the change in his name official since they've been a pining for each other for ages now. Then well..." He shivered. Ron could understand. Talk about a whiplash of emotions.

"Come on," Alistair said beckoning them towards Kris. "Let's go." Ron and Bolin nodded leaving Paddir to making more potions. They managed to make their way through the sea of people that were milling about either helping or trying to stay out of the way however futility that might have been. Finally they trio managed to reach the middle where Kris was waiting with Fatima. Kris looked frazzled while Fatima looked tired. As the three of them approach all the others from the original group save for Saoirse gathered around as well.

"Hey Boss," Bolin greeted. "You want to check out the topside now that it's stopped rumbling like a dragon?"

"Only if we can find someone to make sure it doesn't descend into chaos in here," Kris commented.

"Well if we can do what can we do?" Lakshmi asked.

"Aid with finding survivors," Fatima said.

"Or attack the ship," Lakshmi pointed out.

"With...what precisely? Our wands? Shmi it's as big as a city!" Fatima countered. "Look I want to hit back at them as well but there's attacking something with the possibility of winning due an advantage then there's poor planning."

"Well how will we know unless we try?"

"We can also be killed for our efforts," Kris added. "I get that you want to fight them but really it's too big."

"Maybe...maybe we can use the Muggle counterattack as a cover," Taichi suggested.

"No way," Alistair said shaking his head. "I don't want to leave them to that kind of death. They're already up to their neck in trouble."

"They'll already be attacking due to the attack on London. We're not using them just exploiting an event that we know is going to happen anyways," Taichi argued.

"No it's still too risky," Beverly shook her head. "And again as Fatima would say we don't have a plan. So what will we do? Fire Disarming Spells and hope it works?"

"What...what about the dragons in Gringotts?" Agatha asked speaking up for the first time.

"I'm sorry, what!?" Taichi looked at her as she was mad.

"Oh come on like you're suggestion as any better since throwing spells is better? It'll squish us like bugs..."

The rest of the conversation degraded into fighting but Ron's mind was running on overdrive. _Bugs..._ Hadn't Harry years ago mentioned bugs in Hogwarts...What had Hermione said about them?...

"Bugs don't work in Hogwarts," Ron breathed. Only Bolin heard the comment.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Bugs don't work in Hogwarts so what if those UFOs _eckeltricity_ don't work if we magic them? You think that could destroy them?"

"Okay...that's a thought...But we'd have to get in because I truly doubt that we can make a dent outside," Bolin said thoughtfully. "I mean it's not like we can waltz in and politely ask them to stop because they've answer no hails or anything."

"What are you two on about?"

"Just brainstorming here Bev and not arguing like you lot."

"I mean everyone's ideas have merit but the thing is...why don't we combine them?" Ron said his mind racing with the implications. "Think about it. The Muggles will distract it and the dragon or dragons can overwhelm whatever the defense it has with their sheer might. We can sneak in and take out their _eckeltricity_ with our magic. I mean...I've got something that steals lights so..."

"You mean we can shoot it at the generator and it will short?" Fatima asked cutting through the argument. Everyone one else got quiet once Fatima spoke up. "Can it do that?"

"Yeah," Ron pulled out the Deluminator and pointing it to a lamp that was still on. He clicked and the light quickly was pulled in.

"...That could work," Fatima said in the darkened room. "That could do something."

"It depends on a number of factors," Taichi argued as Ron returned the light back.

"But...It's not like we've got anything better," Kris sighed. "Alright kid we'll do this."

"Alistair, you and Bev go and get the goblins' help," Fatima ordered. "Tell them the situation and use whatever means to convince them."

"Hey appeal to their self preservation," Bolin suggested. "I mean all the gold in the world won't do them any good if there's no one there to spend it."

"I think I can convince them," Alistair said with a smile. "No worries."

"Alright now we just need a leader to keep everything down here in line."

"You're in luck," Beverly said. "I think I've got a solution to that."

"Okay so the plan is what kid?" Kris looked at him. "Your idea so it's your show."

"Alright...Alright," Ron swallowed and gathered his courage. "What we're going to do is this. Like Taichi said," he pointed to the man. "We'll use the Muggle's counterattack as smokescreen while the dragon or dragons depending how many Gringotts have overwhelms the system. I'm reckoning that since it's got enough strengh to take out a city it's well defended or otherwise they'd have to have a defensive things around it...like a beehive yeah? Well a dragon will make sure that whatever it is it'll punch through it. It also can help the Muggles in their fight."

"Yeah...yeah," Kris brightened as he caught on Ron's train of thought. "So they can take in a few shots too."

"Then we punch a hole and get inside, find the jinerator and get out."

"Generator not jinerator," Kris corrected Bolín mildly while letting out a snort. "But what do you lot think?"

"If it hurts them then count me in," Lakshmi said firmly.

"It's a good idea," Bolin agreed. "I'm in."

"Aye, count on me," Alistair said.

"Works for me," Taichi said with a smirk.

"I'm good," Fatima said.

"Absolutely in," Agatha said her lips curling into a snarl. "Anything to give those scum a good thrashing."

"Yeah and I'm all for it. Also got you a leader so this won't go to hell in a hand-basket as they say in the States," Beverly said as she walked forward with someone who looked familiar... **Wait**!

 ** _"PERCY!"_** Ron screamed launching himself at his brother hugging him hard. Percy didn't even protest grabbing him and hugging him close as he sobbed with relief into his shoulder. Ron only vaguely remembered that they were supposed to be estranged from each other but for now that didn't matter at this point.

 _"I'm sorry,"_ Percy whispered as he clung harder to Ron. _"I'm_ so _sorry. I was wrong and a prat and..."_

"Yeah you were," Ron replied cutting him off as he stood back and getting a good look at his long estranged brother. His face was a mess. One of the legs of his horn-rimmed glasses looked like they'd been fused to his face, there were severe burns all over his right side marring his features. There were even chunks of his hair seared off of his head. Even with the Burn Healing Salve he was going to have a few scars from it.

"Brother?" Kris asked interrupting their moment looking between the two.

"Yeah," Ron said. "He's my older brother. Oh," he turned back to Percy. "Did Beverly tell you about...?"

"Yes she did," Percy nodded surreptitiously wiping his eyes of tears. "And Dad...Dad wasn't on the surface. I saw him Apparate away after work. He's probably at the Burrow now. I just got this because I decided to walk about before heading back to my flat."

"He's of the Ministry," Beverly interjected. Everyone save for Ron, Lakshmi, Beverly and Bolin stiffened at that.

"Not to worry, I don't support Thicknesse or his regime," Percy said firmly. "I supported Fudge beforehand but even that was a grievous error. Now, I wish to be of service to your course."

"Oh wow, I think I've made history because I've found the first known person has a RP accent naturally...Wow this day keeps getting weirder and weirder," Kris shook his head.

"RP?"

"Received Pronunciation like you heard on the Beeb," Kris explained. "Seriously though, you talk like that on the reg?"

"Yes he does," Ron answered for him. "Oh and Perce," he looked at his brother again. "We've got a plan."

"Do you?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "Well let's hear it."


	4. Graveyards and Deals

**Chapter Three**

**_Graveyards and Deals  
_ **

**_Underground Station 91_ **

"You're mad," Percy said once Ron had finished his pitch to him. "Absolutely mad."

"Well, it's the best shoot we've got," Ron argued back. "And this lot agrees with me." Percy gave them a dubious look.

"What are they're qualifications and do they even know the right kinds of spells? ?"

"We can fly and we're skilled and competent enough to get through our OWLs and NEWTs thank you," Fatima said waspishly. "Don't see your bureaucratic arse coming up with anything useful."

"So all of you lot know how to use a Shielding Charm? Disarming Charm, Leg Locker Jinx and..."

"What do we look like, First Years or Ministry Officials? Of course we do you daft numpty!" Alastair roared. Everyone else had a scowl on their face or a look of disgust at Percy. Ron didn't blame them since he was glaring at him. What a git, couldn't Percy not be a prat for once? He could understand being apprehensive but this was crossing a line considering he had no other ideas in place.

"I can attest that we do," Fatima agreed with Alistair.

"So can I," Bolín said crossing his arms crossly. "I'm not a fool and I can assure I know this lot we know our spells. I mean we weren't taught by fools."

"And my Dad is an Air Marshall so I know about how the Muggles can and will fight back," Kris said. "So, we've called you here to babysit this lace because like it or not you're overruled and we're going."

"And I'll say we get the Shield Hats the Weasley's were selling," Beverly added making everyone stare at her. "What? We'll be flying and there might by a split second delay in the reaction time so it wouldn't such a bad thing for us to have some extra protection."

"That's not a bad idea," Kris conceded nodding. "We'll get those before we take off."

"Are you okay with that Bev?" Fatima asked. "There's no shame in waiting outside the alley..."

"I've got a job to do so yes I am. Don't worry about my reaction," Beverly readied her wand. With this confirmation all of them save for Bolín and Ron started their way up towards the entrance.

"Right, I'm going with them," Ron said. "Don't try to stop me."

"As if I can at this point," Percy sighed. "Just _please_ be careful okay? I don't want to lose a brother."

"You won't," Ron assured him. "I shan't be careless."

"We'll take care of each other," Bolín promised. "Most of us have siblings so we get you mate on that at least, he'll come home. That's a promise."

"Thank you," Percy nodded to him still looking unnerved but resigned to Ron's decision.

"OI! Come on you lot!" Beverly called. "We've got a job to do."

"Yeah we're coming!" Bolin called back. Ron turned with him away from Percy and together with Bolin he began walking up the stairs. The stairs were now crowded with curious Muggle staring at them. Some with fearful curiosity while others looked in awe. Fatima and the others were already reversing the transfiguration.

"INCOMING!" Kris shouted as a shower of debris fell down only to be caught by a non verbal _Wingardium Leviosa_ clearly cased by some of the other members. Ron swallowed as it was lowered to the ground and away from the spectators. That had been a close call.

"Right, here we go," Kris said walking up first with Ron scrambling up behind to see... _Oh bloody hell._ Ron gaped at the destruction around him. Everything was gone. What was once a bustling city was a massive graveyard. There were skeletal remains of some buildings but most seemed to had been wiped out completely. All of the cars that would've been parked or clustered in the streets were tossed carelessly into pretty much anything that had been present on the surface.

"Oi, focus," Kris called out bring everyone's attention back. "Look I know it's a mess and that's an understatement but we've got a job right and it needs doing."

"Aye he's right," Alistair said turning gaze away. "Let's get going eh?

All of them nodded or grunted their agreement and soon began walking towards what would be the remains of the _Leaky Caldron._ The next few minutes of walking were the most surreal experiences that Ron had ever experienced in his life. Walking the ruins was mind boggling considering what felt like seconds ago it was a bustling city. He could feel the weight of the silence pressing down on him and the weight of the fact that save for their Underground station and perhaps so others if they were lucky then everyone else was dead. That...was sobering to say the least.

"Here we are," Agatha said. Ron gasped at the remains. The _Leaky Caldron_ was skeleton. With only its front entrance remaining. Kris gingerly approached the remaining entrance-way and Ron braced himself for the bodies that he had a sinking suspicion they'd find. Soon he smelled a sickening honey smell and saw his first cadaver that he'd ever seen up close.

No wonder Harry was wired so much for their Fifth Year. Looking a corpse was harrowing. It was like looking into the face of a doll with glossy eyes and a pale complexion with red blood covering their body from the planks of wood and metal impaled into the body. Their face was fixed with a look of surprise, their musculature indicated they were a man and on his right forearm...was a Dark Mark. The face was so mangled that he a difficult time tell who this was. He wasn't even sure if this man were in the inner circle or not.

"Oh the irony," Fatima commented as she leaned over to see what Ron was looking at. "Killed by alien invaders that seem to view us no more then they do to others. Poetic in a way."

"He was still a person," Ron said shakily.

"Yes he was," Fatima soberly agreed. "But i can't help but think that he would've killed Kris for what he is through not fault of his own or worse subjected him to the Kiss."

Ron shivered. "I didn't say I wouldn't fight against him if he tried to attack or any of You-Know-Who's followers or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. No way, they're wrong and need to go down no doubt in my mind about that there. It's just this..."

"Yeah," she breathed. "Good to know and sorry I knocked that because you're right that was a person," she apologized as she waved her wand transfiguring a coffin around him. "Now is not the time."

"He's dead?" A voice with a thick London accent asked. Everyone snapped into attention to see a man slowly approaching them. The man looked shaken to his core. He had no wand and was staring openly at theirs. All of them realized that he was no threat lowered their wands.

"Yes he is," Beverly said. "And you are?"

"Adam Zahn," he said. "I work up the street in a the pub and me and the missus was in the basement when well..." he gestured vaguely at the destruction around them. "This happened," he continued. "After me and the missus dug ourselves we've been looking for people."

"We're up a ways too, the Underground station at the corner," Lakshmi said. "We're just seeing if we can find anyone."

"Ah," the man nodded. "I don't reckon you need help?"

"Nah we're good," Kris brushed off the help.

"Alright," the man said numbly looking significantly at the coffin that hadn't been there a second before. "You lot...are you wizards?"

"Yes and we've got witches too," Taichi said bluntly. Ron wasn't surprised at this point. The Statue was all in tatters as far as he and clearly the others were concerned. "And you know what? We're going to do something about those aliens."

"Too right," the man smiled at them softly. "Well don't let me keep you from Hocus pocusing them aliens." With that he turned and walked out presumably to go to the Underground to see what he could offer them in services leaving them all a bit shocked at the random event that had just occurred.

"Hocus pocus?"

"That's what they call magic sometimes," Kris explained to Agatha. "Well that or alakazam or Abracadabra."

"Huh, that last one sounds like the Killing Curse," Beverly noted thoughtfully. "Perhaps a bastardization of the word of the erosion of the idea or wording..."

"Fascinating as that is we've got a job to do so save your scholarly pursuits for later," Bolin gently teased.

"Wha- oh right," Beverly said shaking her head. Ron blinked at the exchange and felt a ping of longing since it was similar to his and Hermione's exchanges. Only Bolin was more playful then bluntly sarcastic and Beverly didn't have the fussy school master edge to her voice that made her sound like his beloved know it all.

 _Why would she go for me? She's got Harry..._ Ron shook his head hard. That was echoes of the Horcrux's whispers which were not true...besides at this point all that mattered was taking out that ship not his admittedly nonexistent love life. He walked out of the remains and into another graveyard. Diagon Alley was in ruins. All of shops were either collapsed or barely standing. Gringotts itself was one of the few standing tilting slightly to the side that made it look like it was on the verge of just collapsing upon itself.

"I have a request," Beverly said stepping forward. "Can we...can we honor those that have fallen? I know we're on the clock but..."

"We can take a moment," Kris agreed.

"Aye," Alistair waved his wand and transfigured a bagpipe from the rubble. "We can have a moment before we get started with our business."

He inhaled and soon played a very good rendition of _Amazing Grace._ While he played all of the group bowed their heads in silence and respect for those that had perished during the chaos. Ron swallowed and thought about the fact that this once bustling street was now...gone. It was just such hard thing to swallow. At least with You-Know-Who's take over things weren't...destroyed or at least the building and the people were still there and it didn't feel like...final and utterly annihilated.

"Right," Kris said once Alistair had finished and made the instrument vanish. "Let's get on, we've got a limited time and narrow window. So let's make this count."

"Well said," Fatima nodded. "Alistair, Bev, to Gringotts with you. We're going to be looking for those hats. Once we get them then we'll help you out."

"Alright," Beverly said. "We've got this." With that the two walked over to the rubble and began clearing the mess as Ron and the others quickly walked over where he knew that Weasley Wizarding Wheezes used to be. It was like the other shops with its structure collapsed but it looked like some of the merchandise had survived if scattered all over the place.

_Say what you will about Fred and George they do build things to last...last through an apocalypse it would seem._

"Blimey," Agatha commented the rest of them followed him into rubble. "I can't believe that anything made it out of this mess."

"Well my brothers can have a new advertisement now, ' _Weasleys Wizard Wheezes- products guaranteed to survive past the end of the world and the end of everything. For all your pranking needs come to us,'_ _"_ Ron mimicked jingle he'd heard growing up hearing on WWN. Everyone snorted as they picked through the rubble seeing if they could find the elusive product. Ron looked down a bit saddened that the Twin's hard effort was now up in smoke and just gone.

"Kind of reminds me of that whole Vault business at Hogwarts..."

"The what?" Ron stared at Kris who'd been the one to speak up. "What Vaults?"

"Bit of a nasty business that went on at Hogwarts," Kris said with a shrug. "Fatima would know since she was a part of the Khanna Circle."

"Too right," Fatima nodded firmly. "I wasn't about to let that hag get away with murdering Rowan like that."

 _Rowan...Oh!_ Ron straightened as he remembered what little bits Bill had told him about incident. Evidentially there was a kid...whose name he couldn't recall right now that got mixed with a Dark Witch that wanted some sort of item that was there at Hogwarts...really now was Hogwarts just the epicenter of all things odd in the UK? That had their friend killed by a nutter and eventually the incident was resolved...somehow. He was fuzzy on the details of the incident. Perhaps he could ask them about later.

"Has there ever been a decade in which Hogwarts hasn't been embroiled in something?" Agatha asked playfully.

"Nope," Kris cheerfully smirked at her. "But eh that's what I love about it. It's like that sort of madness."

"At least it wasn't the Chamber of Secrets for you," Ron pointed out. The ones clearly from other house stared at him save for Fatima and Agatha.

"It...It was found," Agatha gasped sounding...excited? "You mean someone found the Basilisk and tamed it?"

"Regular Newt Scamander this one," Fatima said sardonically as Agatha shoved her. "Wants to find all the beasts once she gets out of the team."

"Oi, nothing wrong with doing Quidditch first and then focusing on Magizoology," Agatha huffed.

"No it was killed namely because it was trying to kill Muggle-borns for nutter," Ron shook his head at Agatha's question.

"Oh...well good then."

"Found them!" Bolin called out holding a surprisingly well preserved hat. There were several more laying about that Bolin quickly put into his back while pulling out the broomsticks they were going to use in the assault. "We're ready to roll."

"Good, now let's see if Bev and Alistair need some speeding up," Fatima said. "Because now it's go time."

Walking over the Gringotts remains he saw that Alistair and Beverly were talking to several goblins who were covered with dust and grime looking at the group warily. One in particular was warily looking at them as they approached the group.

"Guys, meet Ripfang," Alistair gestured to the head goblin who was covered with gashes around his face who was staring at them. "He's the head."

"You say you have need of our dragon?"

"Yeah to take out that thing," Kris said pointing to the ship overhead. "We're willing to use it as a distract while we attack it. The attack power of the beast will overwhelm whatever defense it has and then we take it out."

"How?"

"I've got something that steals lights," Ron patted his pocket. "The idea is we get near enough to generator and I cause a short making it blow up."

"You do realize that the dragon once freed wouldn't go were you intend on going," Ripfang said. "It'll go were it wills."

"If it causes more damage and mayhem then all the better for us," Fatima countered. "So do we have a deal?"

The goblin was silent for a second but then sighed breathily. "I don't have much of a choice at this point. What good is gold if none are alive to spend it? I personally so no worth in protecting valueless treasure. Very well."

_Treasure...WAIT!_

"Oh," Ron interrupted as something clicked his mind. "After we're done I need to speak with you."

"About?" Ripfang looked suspicious now.

"A...project of sorts," Ron said cagily fully aware that the others were staring at him curiously. "It's for taking care of a... _local_ issue that could become a problem later on. But it can wait until after we're done with saucer."

"If you get rid of that saucer as you say then...I shall listen," Ripfang promised. "Just ensure that thing goes down then we can bargain."

"You got it," Ron nodded accepting the terms. "I won't let you down."

"What-?"

"Private business," Ron said to them all particularly Lakshmi. "It's something that...someone asked us to do before he passed...an old mentor of yours."

At first most had confused faces until realizations began to dawn on Taichi, Kris, Beverly, Fatima and Alistair's faces.

"Dumbledore," Kris said for the benefit of the others. "He gave you a...mission?"

"Yeah and I need his cooperation to do it," Ron said looking at Kris. "It's classified alright?"

"Right," Kris nodded. "Well we'll leave you too that once we finish knocking that out of the sky if your plan works. Got that?"

"Clearly," Ron said as he grabbed the broom that Bolin had. "Now let's fly."

He quickly mounted the broom and pushed off with it. Behind he heard the others join him. Fatima shot forward and slammed on a Shield hat and muttered an incantation that put a Sticking Charm on it so it wouldn't be blasted off by the wind now rushing past them.

"Right, cheers," Ron said a bit embarrassed he'd forgotten about it.

"No problem, now let's take out some aliens."

"Right, you know our club motto," Kris shouted out to the rest of the group. " _Let us win, but if we cannot win, let us break a few heads!_ So let's crack some alien skulls!"

The Falcons players let out a whoop of challenge while the others just held up their wands in solidarity.

"Cross our fingers and hope for the best," Ron muttered turning his attention towards the saucer. It was now or never. Do or die.

" _Cannons?!"_ Bolin looked at him a bit stunned as he flew up with him using his natural light frame to shoot ahead with him. "Chudley Cannon fan? _Really?"_

 _"_ Yeah," Ron said. "Are we really going to do this now?"

"Nah but I'll tell you what," Bolin said as he leaned in conspiringly. "We get out of this alive and I'll go see a game with you if I'm playing in. My wife is a fan. Loves an underdog she does. So something to look forward too."

"Cheers and I'll hold you to that one," Ron said with a smile.

* * *

"Launching squadrons sir from Braze Norton, Waddington and Martam," Group Captain McConnell said looking at Air Marshall Shaw. He nodded as he turned his gaze back to the screens with what limited information the satillites could give them. This needed to work. He knew that the Americans and well if he was honest pretty much everyone was launching their own attacks all over the world so this was the Earth's first offensive strike back. Now they'd see how powerful the aliens were against the might of the Earth.


	5. Dragons, M-14s and Aliens, Oh My!

Chapter Four

_Dragons, M-14s and Aliens, Oh My!_

**_London UK_ **

Flying overhead was officially weird now. Looking over the remains of London made the situation seem more of a dire issue even if the distance made it look like they were flying over a dollhouse. Kris now lead the way with Ron sandwiched between Fatima and Bolin bringing up the rear with the other fanning out. They flew for a bit upwards towards the saucer marveling at the sheer size of it. Ron sincerely hoped that the dragon would make a difference otherwise this would be the shortest flight and fight he'd ever been in.

"INCOMING!"

He snapped over his gaze to Taichi's shout and saw a whole bunch of Muggle flying contraptions flying nearby and making loud noises that made Ron want to cover his ears despite their distance.

"That's a lot of airplanes," Agatha whistled.

"Focus Aggie. We'll wait for them to attack before we move," Kris said loudly so he could be heard over the wind as well as the noise coming from the airplanes.

"Those dragons or dragon better show up soon," Bolin commented. "Otherwise this'll be the most embarrassing moment in all of history."

"Oh it'll be here," Alistair promised darkly. "Goblins wanna live as much as we do."

"Looks like they're readying to fire," Lakshmi said squinting at the airplanes.

 _Ready..._ Ron gripped his broom tightly and noticed that everyone else's grip tightened as well.

Then it came. A massive roar that blasted out cancelling out all the other noises including the wind and the airplanes from a distance. Ron looked down to see...an Ukrainian Ironbelly...Blimey they had an Ironbelly down there!

The dragon would've been mightily impressive if it's scales didn't have a slightly flake sickly look still even so it was massive. It flew erratically raising up into the air...to smash right into the ship as Ron had predicted it would.

A bright light shined around the ship for an instant and then soon began to flicker wildly as the dragon continued to slam it's head and torso into it. Finally, clearly having enough of the obstacle in its way to freedom the dragon roared again making Ron cover his ears and blew out a huge jet of flames and turned about slamming into the ship digging the framework with its back and front claws slashing at the ship with all of it's might as it blew fire directly into the hull... At first the shield flickered as it'd done before with the other attacks. Then with a massive spark the shield went down. Several of the weapons fired by the airplanes cut through making small impacts that flared with smaller fires all their own.

"THE SHIELD IS DOWN! LET'S GO BASH SOME HEADS IN!" Kris bellowed leading the charge with Ron and the others following in the wake. The airplanes continued to unload their weapons into the ship making little explosions but nothing compared to the dragon whose flames soon cut through the ship by it's sheer heat. Finally it shoot through the top with a massive explosion. It was then that Ron saw something smaller coming from it...wait what?

"FIGHTER SHIPS! FALCON FLYERS WITH ME! WE'LL KEEP THEM OFF THE DRAGON AND THE AIRPLANES!" Kris called out to his teammates who whooped their agreement. Fatima, and Bolin stayed at his side as they looked for an opening so they could get in.

"BEVERLY AND LAKSHMI GO WITH THEM! BOLIN AND I WILL STAY WITH THE KID!" Fatima ordered. The two women nodded as they shoot forward to join up with the Falcons.

"THE SHIPS!" Bolin pointed to the place which they seemed to originate from. "LET'S TRY THAT WAY!"

"RIGHT!" Ron screamed so he could hear him over the sounds of the battle all around them. They shoot forward with their brooms avoiding the flames and some of the ships that completely ignored them. Ron wondered...he pulled out his wand and aimed it at one of the ships. He castled a Freezing Charm to them casting the spell non-verbally. To his shock it froze crashing into the one behind it causing as chain explosion as others slammed into them.

"WHAT DID YOU FIRE OFF!?" Fatima yelled flying at his left.

"FREEZING CHARM! BLOODY HELL, SPELLS WORK AGAINST THEM!"

Fatima raised her wand casting a _Patronus_ charm shooting off the message possibly to Kris and the others about this news as they flew the skin of the ship. Finally they reached the entryway that the small ships came from. Ron cast another Freezing Charm causing a huge explosion but it opened up a path for them to fly through. The explosions washed over him being blocked by the Shield Hats which made him incredibly grateful. As he, Bolin and Fatima flew down into the the cavernous hole he noticed that the ships kept coming. Fortunately they were big enough for them to spot it and freeze them before they hit them. Finally the seemingly reached the end. Ron quickly pulled to the left and felt that the others soon followed. He swooped down to the floor and quickly dismounted holding out his wand and saw...BLOODY HELL!

Whatever he was expecting to see it wasn't this. It looked like a bipedal lizard with a squid for a head. it started at him with mirror like eyes and then he heard a high pitch squeal and the screaming started as something with the savagery of a Nundu slammed into his mind. It was like being flooded with thoughts and imagery that he'd never seen before. Unlike the Horcrux this was much more brutal in it's methods. Ron were he not in pain would've been fascinated with this but he was too busy having his mind ran through with some kind of ability he'd only heard from Harry. It was while this waterfall of images came one that looked interesting that actually made him somewhat pause. It looked like a giant beam of light...like the one that struck London! Ron felt himself soon reorienting and then he saw images from his past being brought up. It wasn't until he saw the incident with that Ron realized it was probing him for information. It was then fleetingly that he remembered what Harry had said about He-Who-Must-Be-Named. Namely about sharing of thoughts. He saw the being's thoughts so maybe...He pushed back though the pain. As he did the pain lessen and soon the image came back and now the screams were replaced with screeches. It was then he saw the light, a series of hallways and a huge atrium. Not wanting to waste this opportunity he kept pushing back with a force that surprised even himself with that force tore through the alien mind... _Gotcha!_

Then the pull stopped and he was back in his own mind with a pounding headache and new found understanding of what they were dealing with.

"Are you alright!?" Bolin screeched looking over him worriedly. Beside them Fatima probed the area for more threats. "You landed and then started convulsing. We barely made it to cover then they started screeching and we took them out."

"They've...They've got Legilimency," Ron said shakily. "I pushed back...and I saw it's thoughts. I know where to go now."

"It did what?!" Fatima said looking at him. "What are they?!"

"They're like locusts," Ron said shivering from the images that he could recall. It really was the only thing that he could think of to describe them with. "They go from world to world wiping out the locals and then draining it of resources. Then they move on to the next place and we're next on the list. They've...They've got a hive mind. That's why when I pushed back it took them for a shock. We need to hurry."

"Well before it destroys the attack force obviously," Bolin snarked to them as Ron took the lead. _More like we need to move before they alert the others or that bloody queen I saw in it's head. If they get here then we truly will need a miracle.  
_

"Oi," he held out his hand. "We need a disguise and...you need to tell us how to do what you did. Meanwhile I'll cast a Disillusionment Charm on us to keep from being seen." Bolin said quickly casing one upon Fatima who vanished but not before grabbing him.

"I pushed it back like Occlumency," Ron said as he felt Fatima case a Disillusionment Charm on him then grabbing his hand. "You just push it out of your mind."

"Or block it," Bolin said as Fatima cast a the charm on him. "I reckon it's the same principle as Legilimency...Just put up a wall or barring that hope they don't notice it." Soon Ron felt his hand being grabbed and saw the camouflaged Fatima with Bolin close by almost blending into the background as he was. "Lead on Weasley."

 _Right no pressure,_ Ron gulp as he walked forward with the others behind him. The walk fortunately wasn't too long since the generator powered most if not all the machines here however it felt longer due to the fact that they needed to go slowly least one of the many aliens spotted them which was difficult since the hallways were crowded with works like a beehive. Finally, Ron reached the doorway he'd seen in the aliens mind. He waited for second before a worker exited and ran in quickly. Letting go of Fatima's hand he pulled out the Deluminator and aimed it squarely at the main generator whose energy was nearly blinding him with the sheer power that shined through it.

 _Please let this work,_ he prayed as he opened it up and clicked the trigger holding his breath. For an awful split second nothing happened making his stomach drop in disappointment and shame. Then half a second later the generator sparked then the spark morphed into a beam that knocked Ron down included the camouflaged group down. The aliens jumped and soon the other three were shooting out spells so they'd stay away covering Ron. Ron could barely keep a grip on the Deluminator as it sucked in all of the light coming from the generator. Finally Ron snapped the lid close and waited a second as everything shut down with a deafening crash. Ron then aimed the energy that was leaking through the Deluminator and burning his palm and clicked it open aiming it at the generator once again. The generator clearly off balance sparked and then began exploding with a thunderous smash and crackle. Soon there was fireball emanating from the explosion. He turned and began running not caring if anyone saw him or anyone else. It was all going to hell in hand basket now. He felt his hand being grabbed and pulled in a Side-along Apparition. Then he was in the hanger once more.

 _"Finite Incantatum!"_ Bolin yelled making at first Fatima appear and then she made him appear as well as pulled the charm off Ron as well. With a quickness befitting of a Seeker he pulled out the brooms and throw them at the two of them. Ron grabbed his and swiftly took off with from the sounds the others following in record time. The ships were still flying up but there was now debris cluttering the area making it difficult to navigate for the ships...Brooms on the other hand. Ron easily avoided the worst of the pile ups and soon flew into the open sky. Just in time too since a fireball quickly followed them and engulfed the remaining ships in fire. There was another roar and a part off the ship was cracked off and fell into the rubble of London and the Ironbelly flew above and took off into the country side. Ron half worried if it would be a issue for some village nearby but for now his main concentration was getting away from the ship. Around him Fatima flew below him while Bolin took up position behind. Around them the various ships were being picked off with the remaining group shoot off spells that paralyzed them in midair allowing the Muggle contraptions to shoot them down.

"YOU DID IT!" Lakshmi shouted as she swooped down towards them. She looked singed as well as a bit shaken but her smile was very radiant as she flew alongside them.

"WHAT HAPPENED?"

"AFTER YOU SENT OFF THAT PATRONUS THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING SWIMMINGLY. WE'VE BEEN PICKING THEM OFF OR THE DRAGON INCINERATED THEM," Lakshmi answered Fatima.

"ANYONE HURT?" Bolin asked.

"SOME I THINK BUT NOTHING TOO SERIOUS," Lakshmi said sounding relieved. Not that Ron could blame her he was thanking the heavens that they were fine too.

"OI YOU CRAZY KID YOU DID IT!" Alistair whooped as he flew nearby. "WELL DONE LION! YOU SAVED US STUNPIKE!"

"IT'S WEASLEY ACTUALLY," Ron called back as the idea that his plan as bonkers as it was not only worked but everyone was more or less fine, His insides felt like they were lighter then any feather and that were he to let go of the broom he'd just float off. "RONALD WEASLEY!"

"GOOD JOB WEASLEY!"

"GOOD ON YOU MATE!" Taichi cheered as joined him with the others joining all around him. Ron felt his face split with a grin. HE'D DONE IT! HE'D BEATEN THE ALIENS! HE...

His smile vanished as the other bits of information came to the forefront of his mind. They had a hive mind. They were lucky this time but word would spread about ship falling. And worst others would come and if he was going to be honest, he wasn't sure if it would work out like this time. They need a permanent solution for this. This would require cooperation...He needed to get to Percy and tell him what he'd learned and then plan something out. Quickly.

* * *

"Sir!" Group Captain McConnell looked at Air Marshall Shaw with a relieved but startled look. "The ship is down!"

A great cheer erupted from all present with a few applauding with joy Albert just managed to smile grimly at the proclamation. It had been an odd engagement to say the least. First the air squads had reported a bloody dragon had emerged from the middle of London and had slammed into the ship which told Albert that his son's group was indeed aware of the situation and dealing with it in a way. Another followed soon after that there were some sightings of people on broomsticks he'd given the order to stay out of their way and to assist if possible. As it turned out they were assisting them. As soon as the fighters had engaged the squadrons the flyers had stopped them from taking quite a few out. Some valiant airmen had lost their lives but from Group Captain McConnell told him from what he'd heard from other groups in the world the losses weren't nearly as bad. Now it was just mopping out the remains of the enemy fire. Albert was...uncertain to how to proceed.

He knew of the International Statue of Secrecy. It seemed a bit understandable given what had happened in the past if a becoming a bit archaic now. However he was of the impression that as much as they wanted to stay separated that it wouldn't last for long especially since things were changing.

 _Perhaps it's time to change that Statue,_ he mused. "Group Captain contact the squadron captain. Tell him to get the flyers to follow him back to base."

"Yes sir," Group Captain said with an nod leaning over and relaying the orders. Well now he'd done his bit. It was soon going to be time to meet the heroes of the hour...and ask them how in the bloody hell did they pull this one off and if could be repeated considering there were dozens of the ships all over the world and with one down the rest...Well it was a matter of time before the rest came looking for a fight.


	6. Information and Proposals

Chapter Five

_Information and Proposals  
_

**_London UK_ **

Ron was now worried. He needed to get back to Percy and tell him about what he'd learned from that mind invasion. And fast if they were to capitalize on this information or it wouldn't end well for anyone.

"HEY KID," Taichi called out to him. "WHAT-?"

Whatever he'd been planning on asking was cut short as an airplane zoomed by them nearly knocking all of them off of their broomsticks.

"OI WATCH IT MATE!" Alistair snarled at it as it came back for another pass at them which made Ron tense up...what were they doing?

"BLOODY GIT ALMOST RAN US DOWN!" Lakshmi angrily shouted glaring at the airplane. Kris on the other hand was watching both it and another that seemed to be nearby. Then he stiffed before nodding.

"I THINK THAT THEY WANT US TO FOLLOW THEM!" Kris shouted taking the lead. "FOLLOW THEM BACK TO BASE!"

Well this...This wasn't what he thought would happen. He honestly thought they would just warn them off not that. Still he wasn't going to argue the point since this seemed to something that Kris was sure about. Far be it from Ron to doubt that Kris had an idea of what he was doing. After all unofficially he knew someone in White Hall. Ron allowed himself to fly in the middle with the other surrounding them in a protective formation. Looking at them he could see various burns on their robes and some on their arms that they grimly bore...One even had a robe wrapped around their hand...He thought it looked like Agatha but he wasn't sure. He shook his head and instead concentrated on his flying and staying a good distance away from the airplanes. The noise was as deafening as ever but for some reason after a time it soon faded into the background as Ron looked down so he could get an idea of where he was going.

They flew over ruins of London and soon found themselves on the outskirts which gave way to some beautiful country side. Ron could only mentally gap at the sheer beauty and untouched nature of the landscape. It looked like for all the world nothing had happened and he was for some reason was taking a flight over the countryside. It was in a way like a Time Turner but even the serenity of the countryside couldn't still his nerves. Soothing as it was one resonated in his mind.

They were coming. Maybe not now at this right second but they would come. And next time there would be more and they'd possibly would know of magic now. Well that was a obvious issue but to be honest it was something they would've run into sooner or later. It wasn't like they wouldn't run into once they sent the ground troops to wipe out the rest of humanity or when the so-called mother ships came.

Ron shivered at that thought. It filled him with a new sense of urgency. They needed to get moving on a plan. The Deluminator had worked, no doubts about that. But what they needed to take into account were the shields. The only reason they'd been lucky was the fact the fighters were deployed allowing them an in and were for some reason vulnerable to spells. He didn't quite understand the workings of the machines but he got the impression that part of them was living which explained why it affected them so much...well that and Dad had mentioned that concentrated place of magic like say Hogwarts were bad to machines unless treated with magic like say Colin's camera for one. But still even with that tidbit there was the issue.

Finally after what felt like ages they began to descend upon what looked like a group of buildings with airplanes all around. Kris pulled back a little so Ron and as he noticed the others followed suit. When the airplanes landed Kris circled around the landing area until he found an open space. He gestured down and all of them followed immediately diving slowly down and landing on the ground. It was odd being on the ground after that fight. His legs felt jittery although he could imagine that the others also had the jitters even worse since they'd been flying the whole time avoiding and fighting the fighters.

"Kris mate," Taichi said walking over to his friend. "What's going on?"

"Dunno but I reckon the Air Marshall will want to talk to us after this fiasco," Kris said as he looked around. Ron noticed that quite a few people who weren't working on...whatever they were doing with the airplanes were openly staring at them with looks of shock. Ron couldn't say that blamed them. A bunch of people just landed with broomsticks in hand looking like they'd gone through hell. If he was them he'd be checking to see if he was barking. Those poor Muggles.

"OI!" Someone shouted making them all turn. Kris in particular sagged with relief and looked like he wanted to cry. Coming towards them was a man whose skin was as dark as Kris was accompanied with another man dressed in a weird outfit whose skin was almost stark white with shock. Was this the White Hall person that he knew?

"Greetings, I am Air Marshal Albert Shaw," the darker man said saluting them. "And this is group captain Jason Minks." He gestured the stunned man. "It would seem that you lot are the heroes of the day."

"Cheers?" Lakshmi said confusedly saluting him back. Kris sighed and corrected her position. Ron sensing that this was sign of respect imitated the gesture a second later with others following a second later. Kris blew out a breath and corrected his and others positions as well.

"Thank you sir," Kris said giving him a salute as well once he'd corrected everyone else. Ron lowered his hand when Kris did. "We wanted to help out. This is our home too."

"Indeed," Air Marshall Shaw said giving them a measured look. "But I'm given to understand you lot have a Statue for...Secrecy."

"Well they destroyed our stuff and it's our planet innit?" Beverly said with a shrug. "So yeah we'll help out."

"Besides the Ministry is full of tossers," Taichi added. "Not like they were going to do anything with You-Know-Who all but in charge."

Air Marshall stared at them before giving all of them a significant look. "I'm...supposing there's a story to this claim?"

"Yeah there is," Kris answered. "But before I say, I got to ask. What's the government on your end look like?"

"A mess," Air Marshall Shaw said with an explosive sigh. "Fortunately we've got an Acting Prime Minister but everyone else is gone. Well save the Queen but I doubt Her Majesty would rule in absolute monarchy again."

"Thank Merlin for that," Kris said. "I was worried that government would be gone."

"No, we've made it through...barely but we did."

 _Percy could deal with this,_ Ron thought. _It would be right up his alley. In fact..._

"We've got a government official who doesn't support the regime," Ron spoke up. "He could speak on our behalf to the Acting Prime Minister if they're willing to talk to us."

"Is that a fact?" Air Marshall Shaw looked at Kris for answer. Blimey he really did know this bloke.

"Yeah," Kris nodded. "One of my mates can lead a group towards them. Be warned though. They've got wounded and others. I mean the Healers are doing what they can but it's no St. Mungo's..." Kris' voice trailed off his eyes widening. Ron blinked in slight confusion before the realization and the horror slammed into him once again as it did in Diagon Alley. _St. Mungo's was gone._ Truly he hadn't even considered it considering the massive scale of the attack... _Oh no the Longbottoms. Neville, poor Neville._

"It's...gone," Agatha said softly. "All of it. Diagon Alley, _Leaky Cauldron,_ St. Mungo's...All of it."

"I...I know this is going to sound utterly trite in light of this scale of tragedy but truly I'm sorry for your loss," Air Marshall Shaw said sadly. "Truly I am."

"Aye and...We're sorry for your loss," Alistair said diplomatically. He then turned to Group Captain who'd been quiet throughout the exchange. "You lose some of yours yeah?"

"I did," Group Captain Minks said with a morose look. "If..if it wasn't for you lot I reckon that my squad and the other squads would have been wiped out. It's happened all over the world really."

"We're probably the only group that's managed to bring down a ship," Air Marshall Shaw said grimly. "And by that I do mean the _only_ one. So whatever insight you can offer would be appreciated since there are others out there and they will come once they find out about this. So let's start with the basics shall we? Let's start with introductions."

"Kris Shaw." Ron did a double take as he realized that they had the same last name...and... _He looks like him sort of. Ah I reckon he's family probably close family too._

"Agatha Lewis."

"Beverly Marshall," Beverly said with a nod.

"Alistair Laird."

"Lakshmi Kaur is the name."

"Fatima Shafiq."

"Taichi Rogers."

"Bolin Liu to you mate," Bolin smiled easily at him holding his hand to shake which Air Marshall took.

"Ronald Weasley," Ron said introducing himself properly this time. After the Air Marshall was a Muggle so there was little to no worry about him turning him over to You-Know-Who. "So you want the whole story?"

"Just the relevant portions if you please."

"Right, well we started with a string of ideas," Ron said taking the lead since he'd been in the ship and seen the aliens for himself but more importantly he'd concocted the idea. "Taichi wanted to use you lot as a distraction for well something."

"In my defense I was thinking up of something," Taichi said.

"And Lakshmi wanted to attack the directly. Well I decided to use both as well as the dragon in Gringotts which was Agatha's idea..." Ron trailed off not sure how much he was following his story.

"And the goblins allowed this?" _Yeah definitely aware of the Wizarding world or at the very least the basics. Good, at least I won't have to explain things.  
_

"Didn't have a choice now did they?" Ron said philosophically. "They even said the money was useless to them without someone to spend it."

"True that, continue."

"Well I've got something that steals light. I reckoned I could use it on the generator and short it out while the others including the dragon attack on the outside. So we grabbed the brooms and shoot off. I guessed they'd have some sort of protection so I gambled that the dragon could overwhelm while I and some others sneaked inside and basically shorted the generator and blow it up while the others did damage outside with you lot."

"That's a whole lot of factors that needed to be worked out," Air Marshall Shaw whistled impressed. "How'd you take out the fighters?"

"Seems they're not good with magic," Beverly pipped in with a grim smile. "Weasley discovered it and passed it on to us once we saw the fighters trying to attack everyone. The dragon overwhelmed the defenses of the ship so they probably sent them as retaliation."

"It's true sir," Group Captain Minks spoke up. "We got some hits in because of them and I can attest that most of my squadron survived due to them."

"So once they were helping out Fatima, Bolin and I flew in and encountered the aliens."

"What do you know about them?"

"They're a hive mind," Ron said bluntly. "They're like locusts. They descend upon a planet, kill any locals and consume all the resources before moving on to the next. They strike at cities first then send squads to wipe out what's left...and I think there's more out there...much worse then this group."

"Bugger," Taichi huffed.

"How'd you find this out?" Agatha asked.

"They invaded my mind and I know someone that...well least to say I turned that attack they were doing on my mind on them in time and it spilled back. So I gleaned what I could with it." There was no way in heaven or in hell that he was going to tell that the reason he knew about it was due to Harry. While he trusted them he wasn't going to spill the beans about knowing Harry Potter. Besides he had a feeling that the Horcrux or at the least exposure to it probably facilitated the getting the information. Another reason not to share because Horcruxes weren't any of their concern.

"So once you were there you found the generator and made it short with device?"

"Yes sir," Ron answered. "I reckoned I overloaded it and it just blew up. Then we left and the ship blew up."

"The dragon flew out after a bit," Agatha continued. "I think it'll just go to the country side and stay there for the time being. But I'd think this would be low on the list of issues now."

"Noted for a future problem I should think yes," Air Marshall Shaw agreed with her before turning back to Ron. "Well sir, it seems you're the man of the hour then. I'm thrilled you helped out but the fact is without your help we would have failed. Therefore we need an alliance. I'm fully aware of the Statue-."

"The Statue is null and void and outdated as far as we're concerned," Kris said. "And our Ministry man is all for it too."

That...that might be a slight exaggeration...then again it might not be, Ron shrugged internally. In all truth he wasn't sure how Percy would take this idea but since his first one was a success he might be more inclined to listen to this one.

"Well bring this official and we'll talk about it," Air Marshall Shaw said. "The point is we need to work together and I reckon you lot have clearly come to this conclusion and if it requires paperwork to make it official then so be it."

"We can get our man if you get the people out," Fatima said. "He's right now with a bunch of other people that are trapped and hurt."

"Done." Air Marshall Shaw turned to Minks. "Get as many troops left here and get a convoy out with them into the city."

"Yes sir!" Minks gave that weird salute and ran off. Air Marshall Shaw watched him go before turning back to Kris.

"You-Know-Who is back?" He looked at Kris with a raised eyebrow. "I thought or at least according to you he was dead."

"He came back and no he wasn't dead," Kris shook his head. "I don't know how he survived or how he got back but he's back and he took over the government practically."

"Not practically, he did," Ron said. "He's got the Minister of Magic Imperiused."

"That's one of the Unforgivable Curses," Air Marshall Shaw said. "So you cut off contact because of You-Know-Who."

"I couldn't let him kill you Dad," Kris said empathically. _Dad? No wonder he knows this stuff._ "Or worse so I just cut you off. Very few know of you but people might guess I'm Muggle-born and I couldn't risk you Dad or Billy."

"Well you could have warned me," Shaw said. "I could've helped...or something."

"I wanted to keep you safe."

"Well before this mess I was going to adopt you," Fatima said interrupting. "I was going to marry the git and protect you lot from reprisal or attack."

"Wait what?!" Kris snapped over to look at Fatima who was blushing beet red and determinedly not looking at him. "You were going to what?!"

"Marry you, you prat," she said with a fond smile finally turning towards him. "I love you and I want to protect you."

"But...You're related to Sacred Twenty...Wait," he gave her a critical look. "Is that why you told me...Oh bloody hell I'm thick."

"Yes you are," Alistair laughed as he thumped Kris in the back. "Cheers mate and congrats!"

"CONGRATS!" Both Lakshmi and Agatha shouted with a smile while Bolin patted Kris on the shoulder grinning. Taichi gave him a thumbs up meanwhile Ron smiled happily for the two of them.

"Ah and I was hoping for something a bit more...Ah well forget it not like it was going to be normal with or without an alien attack," Beverly sighed with a small smile. "Congrats you two. Gwenog is going to have fit just so you know."

"Oh bother Jones, she can get over it," Fatima scoffed as she hugged Kris to herself. "I'm vice-captain and I'm not her lackey. I can do what I like."

"Well charming as this is."

"Was that a pun Dad?" Kris grinned at him. He looked like he'd been given the ultimate Patronus right now.

"Ha ha ha," Shaw deadpanned with a tiny grin. "As wonderful as this is I'll lead you to the place were the convoy will go from. We need you to lead them to the place. Afterwards fly back to me. We've got plans to make with this official of yours."

"Got it Dad," Kris smiled. "Lead on."

"Well then follow me."


End file.
